


Strangers

by ChillaxKass



Series: Strangers [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Loss, Mentions of Blood, Mentions of Violence, Pining, Quest for Belonging, Slow Burn, very slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2020-09-02 07:34:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20272276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillaxKass/pseuds/ChillaxKass
Summary: “Do you know how long I’ve waited for you to realize the world needs you?”Pushing herself off of the surface beneath her, (f/n) shook her head. “How long have I slumbered?”Hylia’s blue eyes were soft as she all but whispered, “Eons.” At that word, the (h/c)’s lungs collapsed. How could she have slept so long? What happened to everyone? At that thought, her chest ached. She knew only of one person’s fate.The thought caused her heart to drop into the pit of her stomach, sorrow filling her eyes. “Then what need could I cure after so much time?”With a gaze as hard as diamonds, Hylia uttered yet another word. “Everything.”





	1. 1

_ Wake up.  _

_ Wake up.  _

_ Wake up, (f/n)... _

Slowly, feeling made its way into her body, as though her life force was returning to every atom materializing her being. It was painful, feeling the weight of the world falling upon her shoulders, and the weight in her heart made itself known once more. With a sigh, she opened her eyes to be met with a world of gold. 

She could not mistake the beauty that was Hylia, her purity almost blinding and her kindness palpable. As lost as she was, (f/n) smiled at the goddess but a few feet from her resting place. Cold stone made up the walls around them, but the healing light encapsulating them disregarded the cold. 

“Do you know how long I’ve waited for you to realize the world needs you?”

Pushing herself off of the surface beneath her, (f/n) shook her head. “How long have I slumbered?”

Hylia’s blue eyes were soft as she all but whispered, “Eons.” At that word, the (h/c)’s lungs collapsed. How could she have slept so long? What happened to everyone? At that thought, her chest ached. She knew only of one person’s fate.

The thought caused her heart to drop into the pit of her stomach, sorrow filling her eyes. “Then what need could I cure after so much time?”

With a gaze as hard as diamonds, Hylia uttered yet another word. “Everything.” She smiled despite the weight behind that word. “My sister, you are the last hope this world has.”

Incredulous, (f/n) turned her attention to her reflection in the water before her. Nothing had changed. Her pointed ears still supported the familiar weight of a circlet holding a topaz center stone. Her body was still adorned with white, pure and untouched after time’s relentless passing. Gold wrapped around her wrists, a vague reminder of who had gifted her such beautiful jewelry. Sighing, she turned to her sister once more. 

“What ails the world so?”

The weight upon Hylia’s shoulders caused them to droop, as if even the question had added to it. With a sigh, she sat beside her sister. “After you fell into your slumber, the world went on. Link, Zelda, and the others grew old and passed on.” At even the mention of death, (f/n) held her breath. “My soul separated from Zelda, for I had no need of hiding any longer. The next generation came, and the next, and soon Demise rose again, yet in another form. With his rebirth came the rebirth of Zelda and the Hero as well.”

“You allowed them to live?”

“I could not stop them, even if I tried.” She laughed, the melody warming (y/n)’s heart. “For as long as you have slumbered, those three have gone through the cycle of threatening the world and saving it. Their souls continue on, though they do not remember their past lives unless absolutely necessary.”

“I suppose the war rages on, then.”

“Yes, though a very different route than ever before has been taken. Ganon, as he is known now, has almost won. He has taken Hyrule Castle, Zelda the last defense against evil’s reign.”

“And what of Link?” His name felt almost foreign on her tongue. 

“He barely clings to life, slumbering until he is fully healed. Without him, the darkness is stronger than ever before, and I worry for the future.”

“Can you not change the tides of the war?”

Holding her sister’s gaze, Hylia shook her head. “You know just as I do that Time would not allow that. I can only aid the present.”

“Time has always been cruel.” Hylia nodded, understanding the grudge her sister held for the recluse of a goddess. Time truly had been cruel. 

“Yes, but in this instance, Time has been merciful. You have awoken with the ultimate timing. I cannot help Link as he is now; he must heal on his own. However, I can count on you to restore some balance into the land in his absence.”

“You wish me to battle the force that is Ganon?”

“No, I wish you to do just as you had when you believed you were mortal.” Her voice was soft at the memory. “I wish for you to  _ live.  _ Make up for lost time and face the ailments that torture you so. The world is cruel, devoid of trust. I task you with bringing light back into a land of darkness.”

(f/n) smiled despite the apprehensiveness that plagued her blood. “I suppose I can do that.”

“I will see you soon, sister.”

With that, Hylia’s being flashed out of existence, her molecules imploding to send her to a higher place. (f/n) was alone again. It was almost suffocating. In an effort to start her journey, she surveyed her surroundings. 

Thankfully, those who laid her within this place left her belongings within as well. Her rucksack still had her savings and important items within, and her folded clothes lay nearby. She much preferred her tunic, pants, and boots to the attire of a goddess, so she changed quickly. The cloth still smelled of home. With a jolt of realization, she noticed the absence of her chosen weapon. The sword with golden hilt never left her side, but she supposed time had changed that as well. Perhaps her weapon lay dormant somewhere, similar to how she remembered the Master Sword being sealed away. 

Tucking her previous attire into her bag, she approached the door that sealed her away for so long. The insignia was familiar, the Wingcrest she had come to know in journeys in another life. She raised her hand to the stone, feeling no surprise when it glowed and disappeared into the realm of nothing. 

She did feel surprise when she stepped over the precipice of the new world. She stood within a shallow spring, a statue of Hylia staring down at the land below. She laughed. They never would get her sister right; she was too beautiful to carve into stone. Walking past the gentle reminder of the one who watches over the world, (f/n) noticed the true location of her slumber. She stood within Skyview Temple, the waterfalls surrounding her all too familiar. With a sad smile, she wondered if loftwings still owned the skies. A whistle left her nostalgic lips, but no wings met her call. Sadness filled her blood as she thought of the golden bird that used to comfort her. 

Slowly, she made her way through the spring’s water, reaching the entrance steps. Through the hallway she trod until she was met with a wall of ivy covering the true door to the spring. Pushing the leaves aside, she got her first glimpse of the true new world. 

She stood within what seemed to be a valley, high walls on all sides. What truly instilled fear in her, however, were the giant robots patrolling the air. Beams of light took in the ground below them, and she could feel the pure evil radiating off of them. Deciding she could not risk sneaking to the other side in fear of it being a cliff as well, she turned to the wall behind her to find her footing. Slowly, she urged her muscles to cooperate. They burned as she rose out of the perilous quarry. Soon, she stood on grass-covered ground. 

She looked down to see where she originated from, the spring far below as of now. Determined, she turned to her right and walked up a steep incline. When she reached the top, she felt a bit of anger. There was a way out after all; she hadn’t needed to scale the walls. Sighing in exasperation, she continued walking. She looked around, only to realize a great volcano loomed behind her. She wondered if it was the same Eldin Volcano of her time. Then, she realized her hand drawn map lay within her rucksack, and she removed it to survey her surroundings. The Skyview Temple, although gone save for the spring, did lay to the east of the volcano, so she supposed it had to be the same sweltering mountain she was familiar with. Looking to the south, she saw a small grove surrounded by rolling hills. That was different. She had expected to see more trees. Perhaps there were no remnants of the Faron Woods she had known. She decided to head south first, for she was more familiar with that land in her time and wished to see the changes Time could bring. 

To her left, she was surprised to see creatures she had never seen. They had large heads, grazing the fields on all fours. Their manes were long, falling like water off their necks. They were beautiful. With a smile, she observed them, wondering if they were friendly but deciding not to bother them. 

She ambled through the grove she had seen, noticing how sad it seemed. From afar, the trees had seemed lively, but, up close, she noticed the burns staining them and the destruction around her. The grass gave way to mud, only saplings poking through. She hoped they would create a great forest as she had once known. To her right, she witnessed another magnificent animal, similar to those of before but smaller and with horns protruding from above its small ears. When it saw her, it made a sound and ran away. She felt bad for scaring such a beautiful creature, continuing onward. 

Soon, she found herself on a road. She followed it further south. It bent around another low area, and she saw an odd structure within the scarred trees. Monsters were keeping watch on the edges, and she recognized them as bokoblins. She grimaced, wishing they would’ve disappeared. Continuing on, she made her way through another grove, its trees badly damaged from the tides of war. She wondered how many people she would come across. 

Rounding another bend, she gazed upwards at a giant stronghold within a mountain. As she got closer, she witnessed more destruction. Fires seemed to still be raging upon the mountain, and she averted her eyes. This was bloodstained ground, and she prayed as her feet met it. The air was heavy with smoke and death. Hylia had not told her how recent the downfall of the Hero was, but she supposed it was not in the far past. To her left, she saw the remnants of a building bearing resemblance to the animal she had seen before. No people were inside, and no monsters were around. They must have continued on after the destruction. 

She surveyed a sign that had been knocked down, smiling at the fact the writing was the same as eons ago. It pointed to the left to the Spring of Power and to the right to Lake Akkala. So they had renamed the spring. She found that odd. 

Onward she continued, crossing a bridge with a view of the destruction Ganon had caused. She still knew nothing of this Ganon, but she reasoned that she would have time to learn. Then, suddenly, she heard a cry. She had walked right into an enemy camp, and they were running at her. Quickly, she ran, following the road in hopes of safety. She had no weapon, no shield. Her only hope was to run until her followers tired of her. There was no cover to be found, high cliffs to her left and a far drop to her right. She ran down the slope before her, collecting more monsters on her tail. How many could there be? She had no time to ponder. She ran on the edge of safety, on the precipice of tripping and rolling down if she sped up any further. 

Finally, those wretched monsters gave up on pursuit, but she kept running. She ran until she rounded a bend and heard metal graze metal. Slowing down, she heard shouts of pain and of anger. These were the sounds of war, of death. In the distance, she could see a large structure surrounded by evil. Presuming that was the castle, she continued forward. Even without weapon, she wanted to help those at war. Though her powers had diminished greatly in her slumber, she could still heal those in need. So, steeling her resolve, she rounded the corner with silent steps. Blood reached her eyes. 

A large being reminding (f/n) of the Leviathan was leading a group of smaller but similar warriors. Honestly, they resembled fish. They were battling a ground version of the robots she had seen earlier, the mechanical evil protected by a horde of monsters. They were on the cliffs, high above the girl. She watched as bodies were flung from the cliffs. Bones broke on impact, so loud she couldn’t stand it. Without a care for her own safety, she ran forward to the cliffs. There was no way she could scale them in time and no aid she could provide on the frontline. So, she approached the bodies of the fish people, their last breaths silent upon the wind. 

Blood lay around the twenty bodies at her feet, and she could feel the life force leaving them. The monsters that had fallen had disappeared after impact, leaving her in relative safety. So, she reached forward and lay her hands upon the unconscious beings before her, over and over again surrounding them in a golden light. Their bones moved beneath their smooth skin, connecting as if never broken. Their cuts closed, leaving no memory of any tear. Above her, she could hear the trials of war, shouts and metal still loud as ever. As soon as she reached the last of the injured, another sailed over the cliff’s edge. He landed next to her feet just as she healed the last wound on the one before her. His eyes were wide, unaccepting of death. His skin was torn around his abdomen, bones protruding. His fins were almost no more. Upon making eye contact with him, (f/n) reached for his hand. She knew she had to distract him while she healed him, lest he panic at the sight of his own injuries. As soon as her hand met his, however, he pulled away. 

“Get away from me.”

His raspy voice surprised her; she could not fathom why he did not want comfort or help in a time like the present. 

“Why?”

He attempted to move away, but gasped in pain. “Your kind is what brought this upon us.” She tilted her head, still not understanding. However, she reached forward again, grabbing his hand with light touch. Her other hand hovered above his torso, beginning to glow with healing light. 

“I can assure you I have no idea why you despise my kind. I just want to heal you.” She kept eye contact with him, holding his focus on her and not his slowly reconstructing bones. 

“How could you not know?”

“That is not important at the moment.” She glanced back up to see monsters falling, thankful that no more of the aquatic race followed. “What is your name, sir?” She smiled down at him. 

“Trello.” 

“Well, Trello, it is nice to meet you despite the circumstances.” His eyes held amazement. He could not believe a Hylian had healed him. Soon, he felt as though nothing in the past thirty minutes had transpired, and he sat up. “What should we do with everyone else?” She gestured to the still unconscious lot that lay behind her. 

Trello answered, “We need to get them to safety.” With that, he began to drag his comrades further south, (f/n) following behind. When they were halfway through with moving everyone, they heard a great shout from above before the evil machine was thrown from the cliff into the ravine below. It shattered upon impact, its glow fading. Cheers rang through the air as faces peered over the edge of the stone above. Eyes widened as they witnessed Trello and (f/n) below, surrounded by seemingly uninjured bodies. Trello waved his arms, yelling, “We need some help down here!”

Soon, those above were down below, amazed that all of their comrades were healed. However, they were wary of (f/n); Hylians were not to be trusted. They carried their brethren on their backs, the larger of them leading them back to their home. Trello motioned for her to follow, so she fell into step beside him. 

She was amazed when she set foot on the bridge leading to their domain. Waterfalls were on all sides of the sapphire structure. Its beauty entranced her. She supposed it had remained untouched due to the cliffs and water surrounding it. Women raced to their loved ones, taking the formerly wounded from their hands and to a comfortable place to rest. All eyes were on (f/n) who followed Trello and the others up many flights of steps and to what seemed to be a throne room. The large being before her sat upon his throne, and she knelt in respect. The others stood on either side of their king. 

His voice was strong as it addressed her. “Thank you for healing my people, though I do not know how you managed it.” He gestured for her to stand, and she complied. 

“I could not idly stand by. It isn’t in my blood.”

Smiling, he nodded. “What is your name, Hylian?”

“(f/n).”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, (f/n). I am Dorephan, King of the Zora. How did you come to be nearby? All Hylians in the North were destroyed by the Calamity.”

Not knowing what to say, (f/n) looked around. She decided that if she were to tell anyone, a king would be the best option. “May we speak alone?”

The King nodded, motioning for his people to leave the room. Reluctantly, they agreed. However, one Zora remained, standing to the right of the King. “This is my son, Prince Sidon. As he will be King someday, I feel it fitting for him to know all secrets of the Zora.” He waved, his smile bright. She smiled as well, agreeing to the terms. 

“I know nothing of this world.”

Eyes widening, Dorephan asked, “Nothing? What is it you mean by nothing?”

The girl felt flustered. “I know that it is hard to believe, but I come from a time long past. I have slumbered for eons and have just woken up.”

Wary, King Dorephan looked to his son who held his same doubts. “Hylians have very short lifespans. How is it that you could slumber for centuries?”

Taking off her rucksack, the girl searched for her circlet, the best proof she had of her identity. “I know that I have been long forgotten by this world, but I am a goddess, specifically of light.” She placed the circlet upon her head, its center stone emitting light in recognition of its owner. Sidon’s face displayed the amazement he felt, his eyes shining with admiration for the woman before him. King Dorephan was not so open about his emotions, but he did look astonished. 

“How are we to know you tell the truth?” His answer became apparent when her hands let loose a fury of light, rising to the ceiling and reflecting off of the many jewels and stones. Once the light dispersed into nothing again, he relented, “I suppose that answers my question.” After a second of thought, he continued. “You know nothing of my people, then.”

She shook her head. “The last time my feet touched this land, Hylians lived in the sky.”

“What do you know of our situation?”

“I was told of the Calamity and the fate of the Princess and the Hero, however I do not know how long ago that was or what becomes of other races.” 

A pained look crossed Dorephan’s face. “Our race fares well in comparison to the others.” He sighed. “I can only tell you our story, as it is the one I know best. Before the Calamity rose, my daughter was chosen by Princess Zelda to become a Champion. Mipha was tasked with piloting the Divine Beast Vah Ruta, though I cannot tell you the origins of the beast. When the Calamity fell upon us, my daughter perished within the Divine Beast which became dormant at her loss. That was five years ago. My people blame the Hylian race for the loss of their princess, though I know Mipha would not wish that upon them.”

Tears threatened (f/n)’s eyes at the thought of the King’s pain. “I am so sorry for your loss.”

“Do not apologize. I feel great hope for the future with you at our side.” At that, Dorephan looked to his son. “Sidon, show our guest around and tell her the tale of our people.”

Sidon nodded to his father before approaching (f/n), his eyes still wide with wonder. Leading her out of the throne room, he gestured to his kingdom, the large city stretching before them. “What would you like to see first?”

“Whatever your favorite place is.”

Grinning, he looked up at the waterfall behind them and pointed to it. “I doubt you would want to see it.” 

She laughed. “I don’t suppose I could climb there.”

His grin only grew. “No, but I can.” 

“You can?”

“Yes.” He led her to a stream of water running through the Domain, following it until it fell to the lake below. Gesturing to his back, he bent down. “Hop on.”

Fear made its way into her eyes as she looked over the edge. “I can’t swim.” Sidon’s own eyes widened at her admission, but his grin only grew. 

“Do not fear, (f/n)! I am the greatest swimmer in all of the Zora! Hold on to me, and I shall show you the wonder that is the water!”

As soon as she had a good hold of his shoulders, Sidon dove off of the side of the structure, his form impeccable. (f/n) screamed, and Sidon laughed in return. He soared along the water. His fins danced along the surface, propelling them toward the gigantic waterfall serving as a backdrop for the Domain. 

The calm that came from moving along the water caused (f/n)’s worries to change to glee. She laughed like she had the first time she flew across the sky on her loftwing; the freedom was the same. Sidon pushed himself to go faster, happy to hear her melodious laughter. As they approached the waterfall, (f/n) held on tighter. She was ready for the rush. 

Sidon split the waterfall in two, his body defying all laws of gravity. (f/n) turned her head, watching as they rose into the sky. She closed her eyes. If she thought hard enough, she could see the clouds below her again. Her body felt weightless, nothing around her but the air. 

She opened her eyes to see that, truly, nothing was around her, not even Sidon. Looking down, she saw him completing a flip and landing gracefully on the surface below him. Her heart began to pound as she reached for her pockets, dismayed to not feel a sailcloth within. Sidon made eye contact with her as she fell faster, gravity taking its rightful place again. She closed her eyes. 

She felt arms wrap around her and her weight crash into a broad chest, but they did not fall. Looking up, she saw Sidon’s everpresent grin. “I told you not to fear!” Setting her down, he held his arms out at his world. 

Her breath caught in her throat at the sight. Destruction was nowhere to be seen, only the beauty that was the Domain. The sun’s rays reflected off the water as though a million diamonds floated within. Awe filled her blood, consuming her. The time that passed here was kind, and she was thankful. At least some places still thrived after so long. 

Sidon felt his heart swell with pride at the awestruck goddess beside him. He loved his land more than anything, even his own life, and he felt nothing could compare to seeing it for the first time. If he could choose, he would bring all of Hyrule to the Domain, if only to witness the awe forevermore. 

Looking to the waterfall again, he could not help but feel his heart break a little. It was short lived, for the girl beside him spoke. “It’s so beautiful.”

“It is. Though, I doubt it could compare to the sights you have seen as a goddess.” He sat on the ledge, and she followed suit. 

She frowned. “I do not like comparisons. Besides, I am no goddess.” Sidon’s incredulous stare caused her words to continue. “Although my blood is from above, I am more human than not. I lived for but twenty years before I was sealed away. I am not sure if I will age any further, but know that I am no better than you or anyone in this world.” 

Sidon could only assume that the subject was a touchy one for the girl, so he did not dwell on her goddess status. However, he was intrigued by her age. “I feel that you do not age quickly, if at all, if you are exactly as you were eons ago. The Zora age very differently to the other races. Our children are in what you consider to be mid-adulthood.”

“Then what is your age?”

Pride filled Sidon as he answered, “I am 35 years old.” He laughed at her reaction. “I am but a child in my father’s eyes. My growth spurt was a few years ago, so be glad you didn’t show up then. I would not have been able to carry you.” Sidon’s eyes took in the sun setting over the horizon, and he rose from his spot. “Speaking of which, we should head back. You may stay in the royal hall until you wish to leave.” 

With that, Sidon lowered himself. (f/n) excitedly jumped onto his back. She wanted to fly again. And fly they did. Sidon dove off of the cliff, soaring out over the lake before plummeting into it. (f/n) could feel her grip on him failing, but she held on until they were safely on the platform of the Zora’s Domain again. 

The Prince led her down the many halls of the Royal Palace. Knowing she would never remember the layout of such a massive structure, (f/n) followed closely behind him. Soon, they stopped at a door. It was the third from the end of the hall, where a door much larger than the rest lay. She presumed that was the King’s room. “This is your room. It has been prepared accordingly. Tomorrow I will be dealing with the duties of a prince, but do not hesitate to call for me should you need to. The townspeople are aware of your heroic deeds, so do not fear their stares and do not hesitate to ask them for help as well.”

Her voice was soft as it fell upon his ears. “Thank you, Sidon.”

He grinned. “You’re welcome. Goodnight, (f/n).”

“Goodnight.”

As soon as she was beyond the doorframe, (f/n) let loose a sigh holding all of her pent up feelings from the day. She approached the large bed the Zora had so kindly provided for her. On the silk sheets lay a soft nightgown of the same material. She smiled. Noticing a washroom to her right, she stepped inside. Smooth stones created the walls around her. A small pool of water made up the center of the room. Although her skin had been washed in the lake, she still felt the weight of blood upon it. So, with tired motions, she removed her clothes to step into the calm water before her. As much as she had hoped for her qualms to instantly melt away, they did not. As she lay motionless within the waist deep water, all thoughts remained in her mind. 

Even after the many years that had gone by with her in the back of their mind, she still felt that same disbelief as she had at the beginning. She could not fathom being a goddess. She could not believe that so many years had passed. And, more than anything, she could not believe only two people from her past remained in this world, and they had no memories of their time spent together. 

She was glad to have met a race of people so kind, even when in a time of hatred and destruction. She hoped that she would help them to not be wary of Hylians, to know that the blame fell only on Ganon. 

She was glad to have experienced the feeling of flight with Sidon. She had not expected to be met with such a soul so soon. Though, she felt sadness while around his joyful demeanor. It reminded her too much of someone so far in the past even she could not count the years. 

No longer wishing to be alone with her thoughts without the prospect of sleep, she rose from the water. The towels left for her dried her skin quickly, and she was soon adorned in her nightgown and within the sheets of her large bed. 

Sleep didn’t come quickly, but it came nonetheless. 


	2. 2

The next morning, (f/n) was surprised to feel well rested. Perhaps the Zora’s beds were enchanted, for she didn’t remember ever falling asleep. She moved the sheets off of herself before standing and stretching. She was glad that her hosts had left a spare set of clothes for her on the table near her bed, for those from the day before still stunk of sweat and grime. As she changed, she wondered where she could wash them. She decided that would be her first task of the day. 

The way out of the royal palace was easier than she had expected. It had seemed like a maze when Sidon had led her the night before. Soon, she was back in the main hall. A Zora woman approached her. 

“Miss (f/n), breakfast has been prepared in the dining hall.” 

“Thank you, and just call me (f/n), please.” At the woman’s nod, she continued, “Is there a place that I can wash my clothes?”

Holding out her hands, the woman smiled. “I will take care of those for you.”

“Thank you.” Before (f/n) could ask for her name, she had disappeared around the corner. She also hadn’t told her the location of the dining hall. Sighing, the (h/c) decided to go down the right hallway and hope for the best. 

On her journey, she came across the Prince, his steps confident. “Oh, good morning, (f/n)! I trust that you slept comfortably.”

She nodded. “Yes, thank you for allowing me to stay here.” 

He waved her off as they stepped into a wide door, its height more than twice of Sidon’s. A magnificent table lay before the two, set for breakfast. She sat across from Sidon, who sat to the right of his father. 

“Good morning, your highness.”

The King just waved her off, the gesture reminiscent of his son’s. “Please, call me Dorephan. Even I tire of pleasantries behind closed doors.”

The girl smiled, understanding completely. Thirty minutes later, the King excused himself to attend to his duties, and Sidon followed close behind. (f/n) decided to find the library as she wished to know more about the time between her past and present. 

She was surprised to find the room empty, its shelves tall but silent. So much information lay within the pages of the scrolls and books before her, so she got to work at once. She grabbed everything that seemed the most ancient, carrying it to the table near the window. When she opened the first scroll, she realized that, although she did not recognize the language, she could understand the words completely. She supposed that understanding came with being a goddess. 

For weeks, she kept the same routine. She would go to the library as soon as she awoke, soon choosing to take her meals within the bookshelves rather than with the Zora royalty. She watched the sun travel the skies from the same seat, surrounded by knowledge. She rarely saw Dorephan or Sidon in those many weeks, but she felt no need to when it came to the chance to understand their world. Also, avoiding Sidon spared the girl the underlying sadness she felt when he smiled. 

She learned that the Zora had inhabited the rivers for ages, but the earliest record came from the era of Queen Ruto. She had been a Sage, a protector of the Kingdom of Hyrule. Link had saved her from the inside of Jabu Jabu before her true power was realized. This caused (f/n) to wonder if the Sages were still roaming Hyrule, unaware of their powers. 

Over and over, Link had saved the Zora people, but they were unaware that it was the same Hero no matter the era. She wondered if the Zora of today even knew of the tales she read, for the language evolved over time. If she had not been able to read them due to her power, she would never have known the true history of the Zora. 

It had taken her three months to read every word within the Zora’s royal library, but she decided it was worth it. 

Next, she wanted to ask Sidon for a map of her own so she could compare the terrain to that she had known. So, she asked a Zora where the Prince was. According to him, Sidon was at the entrance of the city overseeing a project. She made her way to him. It was near noon, the sun staring down from the center of the sky. At the sight of him, (f/n) slowed her approach. He was grinning up at a statue, newly placed in the entrance square. He caught her eye before she could say hello. 

“(f/n), isn’t she beautiful?” 

The girl looked up at the statue, being met with a Zora woman made of crystals. Her eyes were kind as they looked down at her people. “She is. Who is she?”

Sidon’s smile turned sorrowful. “Mipha, my sister.”

Wishing to comfort him, the girl smiled up at him. “She looks like a queen.”

Joy filled the Prince’s eyes at the thought. “Yes, she would have made a great queen, greater than I a king.” Although his words were playful, the (h/c) picked up on their underlying meaning. 

“Do not doubt yourself, Sidon. From what I’ve gathered, you will make an amazing king.”

“You have not even seen a hundredth of my life so far.” He laughed. “Though, I have not seen much of you either. You have kept the library company for a long while now.” He started to walk in no particular direction, and (f/n) followed. 

“I’ve learned quite a bit, so I’d say the time was worth it.”

“Oh? What have you learned?”

“Everything there is to know, I believe.”

Sidon laughed. “Did you learn how to swim, then?”

Exasperated, the girl let out a dramatic sigh. “No, but I think I’ll have time to do that.”

“How long do you plan to stay in the Domain?”

“I’m not sure. I actually came to ask you for a map so I’d know where else I have to travel.”

Nodding, Sidon took a turn toward the palace. He felt a dull sadness at the thought of his new friend leaving. He wished for the peace he felt in their time together to continue into eternity. 

“I am not sure how safe it would be for you to travel far, even now.”

Within a few minutes, the two stood in what seemed to be a meeting room. A large map was spread across the far wall. She was amazed at the size and detail of it. By the looks of it, time had changed the Surface more than she had originally thought. 

“How many races are there?”

Approaching the wall as if taking on the role of teacher, Sidon pointed to the center of the map, where all roads converged. “Hylians.” Then, his finger trailed to the east where a lake was present. “Zora.” Below that was a valley. “Sheikah.” North was next, to the volcano’s space. “Gorons.” To the left his finger roamed, to a land near mountains. “Rito.” Finally, he pointed to the Southwest corner of the map, a desert characterized by a soft tan color. “Gerudo.” He turned to (f/n). “The Hylians took the hardest hit by the Calamity, I believe. Though, I do not know if it was due to their geographical placement or a timeless grudge. The rest of the races are in secluded corners of the nation, so our defenses are a bit better. The Zora are not known for communicating with the outside much other than trade with the local fishing villages and royal communication, so I know little of the situations of our fellow Hyruleans. We have been told that the Rito fare well, for their flight proved a successful defense against primarily ground based enemies. The desert kept most out of the Gerudo’s territory, but they were hit hard by the Calamity’s forces. The Gorons were rained upon by fire due to a sudden eruption, and the Calamity reached into the heart of the volcano. I know not of their losses.”

“What of the Sheikah, then?”

That grim look reappeared. “They had never been many.”

“What do you mean?”

He sighed and faced the window, as though ashamed. “We are not to speak of them. Though, I suppose this is an exception. According to spoken legend, the Sheikah are the creators of very advanced technology, like that atrocity you saw the first day you were here. Rightfully so, the other races feared such technology, and the Sheikah were shunned.” He turned to face (y/n), a hard look in his eyes. “My ancestors feared them, but not I. I will not shun a people I have not encountered myself.”

(f/n) smiled at his conviction. “I am not sure how much I am allowed to tell you, but, as it is my own story, I think it is my choice to make.” Leaning against the ledge in front of the window, she surveyed the beautiful view. A deep rooted sadness filled her heart at the thought of her past adventure. A hole like that could only ever grow in her eyes; she would never fill that void. “I knew a Sheikah once, very long ago.” The surprise inside Sidon’s eyes was a grim reminder of how much time had passed. “The Sheikah in that time were the chosen guardians of the Goddess. Even then, they had very advanced technology. I even knew some robots, though I don’t believe they were creations of the Sheikah.” She smiled at the memory. 

Sidon could sense her pain despite her smile. He had always been adept at reading a person’s emotions. This was no exception. He could see the sadness in her eyes every time she looked at him. In an attempt to pry her mind from her sadness, he turned to the shelves behind him to find a spare map. Then, he gave it to her. 

“Thank you,” she said as she pulled out her own. He was amazed that hers was hand drawn. 

“Is that of the world when you were first here?”

Nodding, (f/n) placed the two side by side. “I mapped everything I could in my travels.” She analyzed the differences, noticing that the Faron woods still existed, but not in the same way. Actually, everything still existed, only in different shapes. The main difference was that the land was settled, roads and villages replacing the wild she had once known. 

“I see no river.” Sidon’s voice brought her out of her thoughts. 

“There are a lot of things missing between the main areas. It may have been there, but we just didn’t explore that far yet. I made this map while we were still traveling.” 

Sidon nodded. “Did you meet any inhabitants besides the Sheikah in your travels?”

She nodded. “I actually did meet some Gorons along the way. They must have brought their people back to the volcano after everything. Then there were the Kikwis. They were adorable little creatures. They lived in the forest and hid by laying down and opening the bush on their backs.”

“Similar to the Octorocks, then.”

“Yes, but not the same. They were fuzzy and had the cutest faces. There were also the Mogmas. They had long arms and burrowed through the ground to find treasure. Then the robots who lived in the desert. Oh, and we actually did meet an aquatic race. They were called Parella. I wonder if they were your ancestors.”

“Possibly, though I have never heard the name.”

Suddenly, the girl changed the topic, her thoughts traveling back to Link and his current dilemma. “When will we know when I can travel?” If she was to help him, she would need to know the land, lest she be a burden when the time came. However, Hylia made it seem as though she would need to watch over the land for a while as Link rested. She wondered how long she would have to wait. It would not compare to the time he waited for her, if he waited at all. 

Her heart stopped a bit at the thought. He surely hadn’t waited for her, had he? The pain she must have caused him, if he had, gave her great guilt, but then she remembered that he knew nothing of her in this life. Either way, his existence pained her. She did not know if she wanted him to remember. 

“I am unsure if it will ever be truly safe for you. No matter which corner of Hyrule you wish to travel to, by road you must pass by Hyrule Field. Even if you do not set foot in the fields, it will be highly dangerous. I am almost certain hordes of enemies still reside there.”

“I see…”

At her worried face, Sidon knew what he must do. He was unaware of her fighting prowess, but he suspected that any that she had had waned in the years she slumbered. 

A week went by, and (f/n) was seated on a bench near Mipha’s statue. She felt drawn to it. As she mulled over everything and nothing, Sidon appeared in front of her, an object held behind his back. 

“I have a present for you, dear Hylian!”

Grinning, the girl stood. “Is this why you haven’t spoken with me for a week?”

“A prince has many duties! Go on, now, close your eyes!” As soon as her eyes were closed and her hands held forward, she felt a lightweight object within her palms. Opening her eyes, she gasped. It was a silver spear. “The Zora are known for wielding spears, and I decided that our best knights will train you so that you may travel without worry.”

“Thank you, Sidon.”

“You will start training at the end of the week, though I’m not sure if you will be able to fight in the water.”

“Is that required?”

He laughed. “No, not for you. Though, I would like you to be able to swim before you leave the Domain. There is nowhere better to learn.” 

When the morning of her training came, she got out of bed quicker than any day before. Changing into her original clothes, she righted herself. She was ready to test her strength after so much time. Grabbing her spear, she made her way to the training grounds on the cliffs of the lake. To her surprise, Sidon was nowhere to be seen. 

“Ah, the Hylian. Are you ready to train?” It was Trello who spoke. She smiled despite his still cold exterior, nodding. She recognized the other Zora knights, but she did not know their names. “Have you ever wielded a spear?”

“No, I have only ever wielded a sword.”

Sighing, he demonstrated the correct way to hold the Zora’s famous weapon. It seemed as though the knights were not thrilled to be here, but she would show them that they were not wasting their time. With little difficulty, she mimicked Trello’s form. “Good, now, we attack using thrusts and defend with the handle of the spear. Other moves are extensions of these basic maneuvers.” Again, he demonstrated, and, again, she mimicked. After a bit more teaching, he sent a younger Zora to stand before her. His name was Rivan. With a grin, Rivan thrusted his spear in her direction. She noticed his spear was much larger than hers, remembering that only the very skilled were able to wield such spears. Easily, she dodged his attack. 

“Nice one, Hylian!”

For hours, she battled the best knights of the Zora. They were impressed with her aptitude for spearfighting. Due to this fact, the younger members welcomed her into their group. Rivan, Gaddison, and Bazz were especially welcoming. They decided they would be her teachers from now on. 


	3. 3

Many months went by with the girl content in Zora’s Domain. Her friendships grew with fervor. Although she was very close with Bazz, Gaddison, and Rivan, Sidon became her closest companion. He was one of the only two people in the world with the knowledge of her past, so she confided in him many times. Certain topics, however, were always avoided. She refused to open the hole in her heart any further. 

It came as a great surprise when she requested to meet with the King. Even greater surprise struck the Domain at her intentions to leave. They did not understand why she would choose to leave their peaceful land in search of others. However, she was resolute in her choice, and King Dorephan accepted her farewells. The only one truly against her departure was Sidon. He stood beside the girl as she readied her belongings, the spear he had gifted her hanging lovingly on her back. 

“I do not understand why you would leave with no one by your side in such times.”

“Sidon, you know I can hold my own.” He did know. She had become worthy of the Silverscale Spear much quicker than expected of her, and he had replaced his gift with another. She did not know that his own spear rested at her back, for he had no need of it anymore and wanted the utmost protection for his friend. If only he could go with her, then he’d know she was safe. 

“I know, I know, but why now?”

Shaking her head, (f/n) gave Sidon a sad smile. “You know that I must go. I have been tasked with bringing light into the land, and your people are full of light. I have no purpose here.”

At her words, Sidon looked out the window. He knew he could not stop her, just as he could not be stopped from protecting his people. Yet, he felt great sadness at her assertion that she had no purpose in the Domain. Just her presence was calming in a time of horrors. Even so, he knew that other lands needed that same peace he felt in her company. She would make many friends on her journey; he was certain of that. “Promise me that you will return.”

Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she grinned. “Sidon, you know I will. Companionship is the greatest treasure in this world.”

With that, she made way to leave the Domain. Many stopped her to say their farewells. She had made quite the mark on the Zoras, and she supposed she had succeeded in quelling their hate toward Hylians. 

As soon as she could not see the city through the trees, she readied her spear in case of attack. The sheen of its metal was comforting in the uncertainty of the path that lay before her. In the present, she supposed the Domain was her home. 

She had decided to make her way northwest to the land of the Gorons, as they were the closest to the Zoras. She still possessed the one Fireshield Earring that Link had given her to traverse the great volcano in years past. The thought of it brought that sadness back into her heart. At times, she just wished the memories would fade away, as though they were feverdreams, if only to lessen the pain Time had brought. 

As she traveled north, she could not help but wonder if Link would wake soon. She had no idea where he rested; he could be anywhere. And, if he did, would he recognize her face? Would her sudden reappearance be enough to jolt her memory from the depths of his mind? If not, how could she even go about traveling with him, as she intended? 

She was walking across what could be considered a land bridge, a valley surrounding her. Death Mountain loomed in front of her, uninviting yet familiar. Soon, she came across yet another of those odd shaped buildings. She had learned the animal was a horse, and it was meant to be man’s companion and steed. In a sense, they were the loftwings of the Surface. 

This stable was in bad shape, but the walls were standing and barricaded. Slowly approaching the building, (f/n) noticed something. There were people inside! 

“Hello?”

At her voice, a small hand waved from beneath the counter at the front of the building. Then, a man scolded the hand, reminding the owner to be wary of strangers. Looking up at the girl, the man smiled. “Hello. What are you doing in these parts in times like these?”

“I’m headed up Death Mountain to meet with the Gorons.”

At her assertion, the man shook his head. “It’s too dangerous to be headed there now.”

“No matter what, I must go. I have to help them.”

Noticing her courage, the man relented. He would not be able to stop her. “Well, you can’t go up there like that.” At her questioning eyes, he motioned for her to follow him by jumping the two counters. After doing so, she saw his son. He looked no older that ten, a large grin on his face despite the world outside. 

Kneeling down to his level, she gave him a grin of her own. “I’m (f/n). What’s your name?”

“I’m Izum!”

A loving smile was given by the father as his son ran over to a table to draw. “I’m Kaido, but most people call me Kai.” He sat down at a table within his abode. A bucket sat beside him underneath a hole in the roof. “The Gorons used to come down the mountain on a regular basis, but I haven’t seen hide or tail of them in the last five years.” Sadness filled his eyes. “This is the only entrance to Death Mountain, so all of the monsters came through here. My wife was out there when it happened. I couldn’t even protect her.” As though it felt sorrow for the man, the sky let loose its own tears. The bucket beside the man shuddered at the sudden onslaught. 

“Do not blame yourself. The only one to blame is the one who sent the monsters, and the monsters themselves.”

Pulling himself together to be strong for his son, the man nodded with a sigh. “I know.” He looked up at the sky through the tears in his canopy. “It doesn’t look like you’ll get up the mountain soon at this rate.”

“Why not?”

Laughing a bit, the man looked to the girl. “You’ve never been here, have you?” When she shook her head, he nodded to himself. “You have to scale quite a few places to get to Goron City. With the rain, the rocks will be too slick to climb. Also, I don’t suppose you have any fireproof potions on you.” Again, she shook her head. “That’s the only way you’ll get there. If you don’t use those, you’ll burst into flames on the spot. They don’t protect your gear, so you’ll have to leave all your flammable stuff here.”

The kindness in his eyes showed the girl she could trust him. “Thank you.”

Waving off her thanks, he shook his head. “It’s no problem. I’m just glad to see another soul.”

When (f/n) looked over at Izum again, she noticed he was already in bed. Excitement shone in his green eyes. “(f/n), (f/n)! Will you tell me a bedtime story?”

Grinning, she made her way over to the young boy and sat on the bed adjacent to his. “Any requests?” The boy shook his head. “Okay, well,” she paused. All of her stories were of Skyloft, and she had to make sure to make them seem like legends and not her own truth. “Have you heard of the times when Hylians lived in the sky?”

The boy shook his head, bouncing up and down on his bed. “They did?!”

“They did. The legend says that the Goddess Hylia sent their land into the sky to protect them from the evil of the world. They prospered there.” Pausing again, she thought more on her wording. “Supposedly, they even soared on the wings of birds. The Royal Crest even seems to depict one of those great birds.” She thought back to when she first saw the Royal Crest in a book back in Zora’s Domain, a smile curling her lips. 

“Were the birds like the Rito?” His voice was slow, a yawn following after. 

She had never seen one of the Rito, but she knew they were a race of birds. She shook her head. “I don’t think so, but who knows?”

Smiling, Izum snuggled deeper into his blankets and closed his eyes. 

Kaido had been watching from his seat at the table, a loving smile on his lips. He knew in that moment that he would protect the girl. She reminded him so much of his wife in their younger years. When (f/n) approached him again, he thanked her for caring for his son. “You may use any of the beds. With the way this rain is falling, I doubt you’ll be able to leave any time soon.”

“Thank you.”

The next morning, (f/n) awoke to the smell of an amazingly prepared breakfast, courtesy of Kaido. She was surprised by the ingredients he used. She would have never thought those plants were edible. 

“I’ve researched all of them.” He retreated to the stable before returning with a worn, leather bound book. Opening it, (f/n) was surprised to see page after page with plant names and attributes along with a sample of each. 

“This is amazing.”

“I wouldn’t say that now. It’s incomplete. I traveled Hyrule before settling down with my wife, so I tried to jot down everything I could about everything I saw.”

While the two were engrossed with the journal, Izum busied himself with looking at (f/n)’s things that were on the ground nearby. At the sight of her spear, his eyes widened. Then, with a grin, he picked it up and pointed it at the two. Kaido’s eyes were worried as he told his son to put the weapon down. 

“But it’s so cool!”

Laughing, (f/n) rose from her seat and handed Kaido his journal. Then, she approached the boy and took the spear out of his small hands. “It is, isn’t it?”

Kaido approached from behind. “A Silverscale Spear, huh? How’d you get that?”

Grinning, she turned to the man. “For the last year I’ve lived with the Zora. They trained me and deemed me worthy of this spear.”

Amazed, Izum jumped in front of the girl. “Will you teach me so I can have a spear?” 

She looked to his father who nodded in return. “I don’t see why not. We both could use a lesson in self defense.”

Soon, they were in the small field beside the stable, a traveler’s sword in Kaido’s hand and a wooden sword in Izum’s. (f/n) taught the two just as the Zora had taught her, demonstrating thrusts and guards. She did not go so far as to spar the two, however. Izum was especially excited, asking to hold her spear again. She allowed him to. He turned it over in his small hands, awe in his eyes. Then, a questioning gaze met the girl. 

“What is ‘Sidon’?”

She took the spear from Izum’s hands and examined its handle. Sure enough, Sidon’s name was etched into the metal, clearly by his own hand. Kaido’s eyes had a knowing shine in them as he answered his son. “Sidon is the prince of the Zora.”

“Woah, you have his spear?!”

“Apparently,” she said as she rubbed her thumb over his name. How had she not noticed before? Why had he given her his own spear? So many questions raced through her mind. 

“How’d you get it?” The excitement Izum contained was bursting at the seams. 

“He gave it to me when I was deemed worthy of the Silverscale Spear.”

“That’s awesome! I wanna meet the Prince! I bet he’s super cool!” 

“I guess so,” she laughed. “But you’ll have to work very hard to meet the Prince.” The boy nodded vigorously. She looked up at Death Mountain. Its rocks were dry, so she could travel up the path. Kaido followed her gaze before pulling a bottle out of his pocket. 

“I found this last night. It’s the last one I have, but it should be more than enough to get you up the mountain.” Taking the potion, the girl nodded with a smile. 

“Thank you.” 

Kaido insisted on helping her prepare for her journey. He took her rucksack, placing it in an inconspicuous box below the floorboards. He noticed that her shoes were worn and had no traction, so he pulled out a pair of lace-up leather boots. “These belonged to my wife.” She tried to refuse them, but he insisted yet again. They were her exact size. She hung her spear at her back yet again and placed the potion in her pocket. With a sad smile, she turned to say farewell to the father and son. She was surprised to find Izum hugging her legs. 

“You have to come back!”

Kneeling down, she nodded. “Of course, I haven’t finished your lessons.” At his grin, she stood and ruffled his hair. 

“If you see anything that wasn’t in my journal, remember it so I can add it.” Kaido placed his hand on her shoulder, hesitating. Then, he hugged her. It came as a surprise to both. “I’m sorry. I just feel like you’re the daughter I never had, like we have been bound by fate.” (f/n) agreed. She had felt it too. 

So, with a wave to her new friends, she started her trek up the mountain. The potion felt heavy in her pocket. She didn’t know how to tell Kaido she didn’t need it, so she didn’t. 

She traveled through a valley and under a natural stone arch. Soon, she was met with steam rising from the ground around her. The pools were bubbling cerulean wonders. She decided that she would return to these hot springs at a later date to feel truly serene. 

Continuing onward, she turned right, surprised to see one of those Guardians, the same model as the one Dorephan destroyed. It stood in the middle of the path. How was she supposed to pass by it? 

She decided to run as hard as she could to the right of the arch it was under. She could hear its laser starting up and aiming itself at her, but it only caused her to run harder. She passed by dead trees and the leg of the arch. Her legs ached, but she kept running. Behind her, she heard the laser fire. Looking back, she saw the destruction it could cause; everything the laser touched was burning. Turning forward again, she kept on. She didn’t stop until she was safe in an underpass. The feeling she felt when the Guardian disregarded her and turned around could never be described. As she rested, fire keese circled around her. They were no match for her spear.

When her legs stopped screaming, she pushed herself off of the wall and made her way up the path. After a switchback, she climbed a steep incline and was met with the sight of lava. She was glad to find her enchanted earring still worked against the insufferable heat of the volcano. She was sad to find sweat pooling on her brow. She was terrified by yet another Guardian in front of her. 

You really can’t win them all. 

Hoping her heart wouldn’t give out, she ran to a rock structure not far from her and right beside the robot. To her dismay, she heard its laser firing up and aiming at her. She was cornered at the rock; no other cover was in sight. She had nowhere to run and no way to fight.

Her eyes widened as she realized the Guardian’s laser was made of light. If she focused, she might just be able to reflect its beam of danger back on itself, but it was risky. In any case, it was her only way out. 

So she jumped from her cover and stared into the eye of the beast. Mercilessly, it fired its beam at her, but she held out her hand and redirected it with a swing of her arm. The Guardian fell to the ground as its legs gave out before exploding into an array of parts and pieces. With a proud smile, (f/n) wiped her brow and heaved a deep breath. She never wanted to experience a Guardian again, but she knew she would have to. 

She continued on, sneaking by Lizalfos and other enemies by carefully making her way through the lava rocks. The heat was almost unbearable even with her earring. It was all-encompassing. 

She saw many of the Octorocks Kaido had warned her of, as they are very camouflaged and hurled rocks at unsuspecting travelers. She also saw Fire Chuchus, a monster variety she didn’t bother to attack. They were so slow they didn’t pose a threat. There were also a variety of birds thriving in the heat, and that surprised her. She didn’t remember seeing them in Kaido’s book, so she intended to remember their appearance to ask him about them. 

After a while, she came to a wall that seemed to be molten on the inside. Fire seemed to be bursting out of the rock. She sighed when she realized she had to climb those same rocks. Finding her footing, she began her ascent. To say her muscles burned was an understatement. 

Next, she crossed a bridge over a river of lava. A sign at the other side indicated that this area was the southern mine, but no Gorons were in sight. She supposed it was abandoned until they got back onto their feet. Crossing another bridge, she was amazed to see lavafalls around her. The road was clear as far as she could see, so she slowed down a bit. Now, it was just a sweat inducing hike. 

Passing under a few arches, she found herself in Goron City. Stone buildings were caving in, and some of the roads were destroyed. None of the inhabitants were in sight, and this worried her. A sign on the ground welcomed her to the city, but no life mimicked its words; not even monsters met her presence. 

The lively glow of the lava was almost eerie as she ambled into the city. Upon entrance, she noticed a building still standing with a closed door. With wary eyes and slow hands, she pushed the door aside to be met with a room of Gorons. Four of them were pointing their stone weapons at her, and behind them were what looked to be six children. One of them stepped forward, addressing her with a booming voice. 

“Who are you and what are you doing on our mountain?” 

Calmly, she put up her hands to show she meant no harm to the Gorons. “My name is (f/n). I’m here to help you in whatever way I can.” A confused look crossed the Gorons’ faces as they lowered their weapons. 

“Why?” 

“Because I wish to help the people of Hyrule in whatever way I can.”

Another Goron stepped forward, pointing to her back. “She has a Zora spear. Where did you get that?”

With a soft smile, she replied, “Prince Sidon of the Zora.”

At her response, the four older Goron’s turned to each other. They seemed to be communicating with their eyes. Then, the apparent leader spoke again. “If the Zora deem you worthy of their spear, we will trust you as well.” He held out his large hand, a grin on his face surrounded by a white beard. “I’m Tudrek. I’ve taken on the role of Patriarch in these times of trouble.” A deeprooted sadness filled his eyes at the memories playing in his head. To shake his thoughts, he motioned for the others to introduce themselves. 

“I am Koton. I’m the blacksmith.” He was the one who recognized the spear on her back. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and (f/n) wondered if their hair was made of rocks as well. 

“I’m Noda. I work in the mines.” His exterior was hard, but his eyes were kind. 

“I’m Buroto. I’m the chef.” He grinned at the girl, and she returned it. 

The Patriarch of the Gorons gestured for the girl to follow him out the door to take in his land. The others did not follow. “How do the Zora fare?”

As she took in the destruction the Goron race had faced, she felt the sadness that seemed to permeate the space. If war touched ground, it was forever stained. 

“They had heavy losses, but their Domain remains intact.” She sighed. “They lost their princess who controlled the Divine Beast Vah Ruta.”

Tudrek solemnly nodded. “I see. We lost our greatest warrior. He was Daruk, the Goron Champion chosen to control Vah Rudania. He was my best friend.” The pain that crossed his face caused the girl to lay her hand on his much larger arm. He smiled down at her. “He always told me that I would be Patriarch someday, but I’m sure he didn’t think it would be like this.” He sighed. “We lost many of our brothers in the war. Those that you have seen are all that are left of the Gorons.”

“I am sorry.” Looking to the once strong houses, (f/n) felt determined to lift the Gorons’ spirits and get them back on their feet. “I guess we should start rebuilding soon, huh?” She smiled up at him, and he gave her a nod. 

“We have only been able to retake the Northern Mine so far, which is where we get our food. Now, we need to rebuild the city.” Looking up at the sky, Tudrek continued, “We’ll start tomorrow. Everyone will need their energy for this.” As he led her back into the only livable house, he rubbed his chin. “I have not been around Hylians that often, so I’m not sure what your needs are. Us Gorons just sleep on the ground.”

“I am fine with that.” She didn’t need a blanket; it was already hot enough and it would just burst into flames. “Though, I don’t believe we eat the same things.”

Tudrek laughed. “Buroto should be able to fix you a Hylian meal.” He was right. Buroto made a wonderful plate of meat for the girl, but she wasn’t able to eat all of it. She told him to make a smaller portion next time. 

Sleeping on hot rock wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, but, somehow, she didn’t wake up in pain from a crick in her neck. As those around her readied themselves for breakfast, she decided she should learn more about the children. She approached them as soon as she got her (much smaller) portion of meat. 

“Hello. My name is (f/n). What are your names?”

The first to speak up seemed to also be the leader of his group of friends. He sounded as if he was imitating Tudrek’s booming voice. “I am Bludo.” He puffed out his chest a bit. 

The next small Goron looked a bit like Koton, with his short ponytail surrounded by rope. “I’m Rohan.”

“I’m Volcon.” He grinned up at the girl before shoving the Goron child beside him, who rolled his eyes before speaking up. 

“I’m Tray.” Despite his annoyance at his friend’s antics, he smiled. 

The next Goron was more of a green tint, as opposed to the usual yellow of the Goron race. “I’m Grapp.” 

The last Goron was even darker, his smile lighting up at being next. “I’m Bohrin!” 

“It’s nice to meet all of you.”

Suddenly, Rohan pointed to her back, a look of delight in his eyes. “That’s a Silverscale Spear! Where did you get that?!” All of the small Gorons looked expectantly up at her. 

“It was given to me when I proved myself worthy.”

Awe filled the children’s voices as they fawned over the beautiful weapon. “So you’ve seen the Zora?” 

“What are they like?”

“They are very beautiful and graceful creatures. Their Domain is made out of shiny blue stones and gems. Everything is surrounded by water.”

“I wanna meet the Zora someday!”

All of the children jumped up and showed their fighting stance. “We could totally wield a spear!”

The older Gorons laughed at their antics. It was refreshing to be around children; their happiness was light and airy. 


	4. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter, we finally find out why Pipit is involved in this story! I can't wait, but I have to get it perfect :) I'm also planning on posting a story adjacent to this one at the same time as that chapter merely titled "Pipit." If all goes accordingly, it will tell the story of the reader and Pipit's meeting and subsequent moments together. I hope that my readers will enjoy that!

Throughout the next few weeks, (f/n) and the Gorons rebuilt Goron City. Of course, it would be a shadow of its former self until some time had passed, but it was becoming livable again. The houses were rebuilt and the shops stood tall again. Koton began smithing again, Rohan deciding to help out. Bludo was like a shadow of Tudrek, wanting to become a leader someday. Tray and Volcon decided to open what they called the Rollin’ Inn, and (f/n) was their first customer. Noda, Grapp, and Bohrin took up mining. Everything was flowing as it should. 

(f/n) learned quite a bit about Goron culture from her new friends. There was no written history, so everything was passed down by word of mouth. Tudrek told the girl of his people, of Darunia who was their Sage and Patriarch during the time of Ruto. He told her tales of his and Daruk’s time spent as warriors. He told her everything. 

He was the only one she told of her Goddess status. Although surprised, he only nodded his head and said that it made sense. He didn’t elaborate further. 

Soon, she decided she was tired of eating meat and sleeping on the hot stone, so she made her way down the mountain to visit Kaido and Izum. The Gorons had been surprised that there were still Hylians in the stable, so they sent some Goron Spice and rock salt down with her as a gift. 

Izum had been sitting outside when she came into view, and he yelled for his dad to come out of the stable. Then, he ran to the girl, the largest grin on his face. She bent down to receive his hug. She almost cried at the moment. She hadn’t had someone so excited to see her in so long. 

“What have you got there?” Kaido was smiling, his eyes crinkling at the edges. The girl handed him the gift from the Gorons. “Goron Spice and rock salt, eh? Looks like we’ll be feasting tonight!” 

Confusion laced Izum’s features. “What’s Goron Spice?” 

Kaido grinned. “It’s the best darn thing you’ll ever taste!” 

As Kaido began to prepare lunch, (f/n) decided to teach Izum some more. The field beside the stable was looking more and more like nothing had ever happened, and the stable was standing tall again. Kaido must have been working hard in the past few weeks. 

“I’ve been practicing what you taught me!” With a focused expression, he demonstrated his stance and forward thrust. (f/n) clapped her hands. 

“You’re on your way to being a real swordsman!”

Standing normally again, Izum gazed up at the volcano. “What was it like up there?” At his place near the fire, Kaido perked up; he had been wondering the same thing. 

“Well, first of all, it’s unbearably hot.” She laughed. “The way up is a little treacherous, but I made it up there before dinner time. On the path, I saw some birds that I didn’t remember seeing in your book Kaido. I’ll tell you about them later.” He nodded, a spark of excitement in his eyes. Taking her spear off of her back, the girl leaned against it. “Goron City was basically in ruins when I got there. There are only ten Gorons left up there, and six of them are children. We’ve gotten all of the houses in livable condition and have taken back the Southern Mine, so they’re on the way to how it used to be.”

Nodding, Kaido stirred the soup he was making. “I’ve only been up there a couple times in my life, but it saddens me to think that it’s not how it was. I was always amazed by the architecture and by the fact that they can live that close to lava.” 

“Yeah, I can’t say I particularly enjoy being up there all the time. Sleeping on the hot ground isn’t as comforting as you’d think.” They all laughed before (f/n) began demonstrating more moves for the boy. He was eager to learn and made a perfect student. She felt her heart swell with pride whenever he got a move down.

Soon, lunch was ready, and everyone served themselves. (f/n) was excited to try Goron Spice; unsurprisingly, it was quite hot, but in a non-overwhelming way. She certainly understood why it was so popular. 

“So, you said there were some birds on the mountain?”

She nodded to Kaido who sat across from her. Izum was eating his second helping, listening intently. “Some were small, like pigeons, but they were colored red. They were some hot pigeons! I mean, they were right beside the lava! And then the others were as tall as me, what with their long legs and all.”

Nodding, Kaido added the description to his journal. “I’ve heard of the Hotfeather Pigeons but never saw them when I was up there. Same with the Eldin Ostrich. They say the pigeons’ feathers are fireproof.”

“So you knew what they were but never wrote it down?”

Shrugging his shoulders, Kaido slid the book to (f/n). “I only add things I’ve seen since I draw them. Speaking of which, you’ve gotta draw them for me.” Grinning, he grabbed everyone’s dishes and waltzed back into the stable. (f/n) was not known for being an artist, but she took up the challenge and actually did a pretty good job; the images matched what she remembered at least. Kaido was amused by the expressions she gave the birds, and he was thankful for the addition to his little journal. 

That night, Izum quite literally demanded another bedtime story, saying he wanted to know more about the land in the sky. (f/n) was wary to reveal her identity to too many people, so, yet again, she made it seem like a theory and not a memory. 

“They say that there were many islands in the sky, one main island surrounded by many smaller ones. People don’t know much about them now, but some say there was a large pond that ran off into water falls that seemed to never end.”

“That’d be kinda scary. What if you fell off?” 

“Well, I suppose the knights would fly down to save you on their enormous birds.” 

Izum’s eyes lit up at the thought. “I wish I could be a knight…” His smile faded. “My dad says that all of the knights were killed because of the Calamity, so they don’t exist anymore.”

Sadness tinged the air, but (f/n) decided that, today, she wouldn’t let it get to her. She would fight it off. “Well, you could very well be the first one to ride again.” Smiling down at the boy, she ruffled his hair and stood. He softly smiled in return before turning on his side. With a content sigh, she crawled into her bed and met sleep again. 

The next few months continued like this, (f/n) aiding the Gorons in rebuilding their city and traveling down the mountain to spend time with Kaido and his son. She was happy to help in any way she could, and the Gorons were more than happy to receive her kindness. They took her in as one of their own. 

She had worried about the fact that there were no female Gorons, but her worries were put aside when she learned that the Gorons are born of the earth. The mountain quite literally gives them life, so, theoretically, they really are all brothers. She actually helped with a few more children who showed up out of nowhere. She definitely hadn’t expected that, but it explained why they had not changed in the many years that had passed. 

Kaido continued to teach her about the flora and fauna of Hyrule, and she continued to teach Izum the way of the sword. He was a quick learner, and she was happy that he would be able to defend himself and his father if something were to ever befall them. 

One day, as the fall leaves loosened from the branches above them, (f/n) and Izum were resting after another session of swordplay. Their limbs were spread wide in the comforting grass, and the sky was the brightest blue. Izum looked to the girl, an unreadable expression lacing his features. 

“Do you miss the Zora?”

(f/n) had not been expecting such a question. “Hmm?”

Izum turned his head back to the sky. “Well, you lived with them for a while, so I was just wondering if you miss them. It’s been a while since you first came here.”

Mulling over his words, she nodded. She had missed her friends back in the Domain. “I do.”

“Then why don’t you go visit them?” His answer was simple. The Zora were not far away, and they had no idea if she was still alive. She felt a bit bad for that. 

“I guess I will.” She smiled over at the boy, and he returned it. 

“Bring me with you!”

She shook her head. “No, you’re not ready for that yet.”

He hit the ground with his hands. “But I know how to fight now!” At the commotion, Kaido appeared from the front of the stable. 

“Now, now, you know you’re not old enough, Izum.” At the look on the boy’s face, Kaido and (f/n) laughed heartily. 

A week later, (f/n) was on her way back to the Domain. The Gorons assured her that they were on their feet again, that she could travel to the next land in search of people to help. So, she set out to visit her friends above the lake. There wasn’t a cloud in sight as she traversed the winding path to the land of the Zoras. She felt guilty that she had been traveling between the top of Death Mountain and Kaido’s stable but hadn’t even thought to visit the Zora. Well, she had, but she was afraid. It had almost been a year since she had left the crystal city, and she didn’t know how they would feel about her return, so she continued to put it off, and her fear continued to grow. 

Finally, the diamond glow of the sun on water came into view, and (f/n) all but ran over the bridge to the Domain. Its beauty had only grown in the past year, and she grinned at the sight before her. Mipha’s statue greeted her as she stepped into the main square of the city. She made to enter further, but a hand stopped her. Eyes trailing up to the face of the person, she smiled. 

“What took you so long to return?” It was Bazz, and his smile was bright. He was surprised to find the girl hugging him, her head buried in his chest. A blush broke out into his cheeks. After what felt like an eternity, she pulled away, and Bazz averted his gaze. She chose to ignore his embarrassment. His stony exterior was not used to affection.

“I’ve been helping the Gorons rebuild.” 

Nodding, Bazz gestured for her to follow him. As they traversed the paths leading to the royal palace, he sighed. (f/n) sent him a questioning gaze at the sound. 

“It’s just…” He trailed off, looking around to be sure no one was listening to their conversation. “You remind me so much of an old friend of mine. He left one day to achieve his destiny and I doubt he will ever return.”

(f/n)’s eyes widened at his words. For some reason, she felt as though she knew of whom he was referring. “What was his name?”

A nostalgic smile broke across his face, but Bazz’s eyes still held a solemn spark. “Link.” At the girl’s silence, Bazz looked ahead of him and continued, “He was chosen to be Princess Zelda’s knight and the Hylian Champion. Though, I suppose it is taboo to speak of such things nowadays…” 

As they wandered the halls of the palace, (f/n) felt a deep sadness for Bazz. He had no idea Link was alive, and she couldn’t risk telling him. Curiosity also filled her, for she had no idea what Link was like in this lifetime. She hoped he still overslept and loved food. “What was he like?”

Grinning a bit, Bazz turned his head to look at her. “He was amazing with a sword. I always thought it was because his father was a renowned Royal Knight, but I suppose he was always fated to be a Champion. He taught me everything I know about sword fighting.” Turning down another hallway, he continued, “Even though he was so skilled, he was always a bit lazy. Oh, and he loved to swim; he told me once that he wished he was a Zora.” As he laughed, the door that held the Prince came into view, and he gestured for the girl to head inside. 

“I’ll talk to you again soon, Bazz.” A small smile adorning his face, he nodded and took his leave. With that, (f/n) walked into the room. Instantly, her eyes met Sidon’s; he was alone, seemingly studying the many pages laid out before him. As soon as he realized who had waltzed into his space, he rose from his seat and approached her with long strides and an enormous grin. 

“You’ve returned!” He picked her up to look her over, making sure no injuries were present. Nodding his head, he set her down. “Now, tell me of your travels! How do the Gorons fare?”

(f/n) told Sidon of the Gorons’ small numbers and the destruction of their city. She spoke of her efforts to help them rebuild and teach the children the way of the Gorons to keep traditions going, even if she hadn’t known of them either. He asked many questions, being that he would never be able to withstand the heat of Death Mountain. As they talked, the sun set over the cliffs behind the Domain, its glow creating a red hue across the sky. 

“I am glad the Gorons are on the path to recovery.” Rising from his seat, he made to leave the room, a gesture the only sign for the girl to follow him. “Have you greeted my father yet?” At the shake of her head, he began to lead her to the throne room. 

Dorephan gave a wide smile when he laid eyes upon the (h/c). “Ah, I see your quest has led you back here. Tell me, what is the state of Death Mountain?” 

Again, (f/n) repeated her experiences on the summit of the volcano. Dorephan was glad to know the Goron people were beginning anew. After a short talk, he dismissed her to the same room she had stayed in before. According to the prince, it had remained untouched in her absence. As she lay within the silk sheets that night, she wondered how she ever slept on the hard stone of Death Mountain. 

As she was grasped by the hands of slumber, she saw him. She saw Link, his blonde bangs falling over his forehead. His blue eyes were glaring at the monsters before him, the same yet different. He was a child again. His outfit was green, just as she remembered, but the material was different. 

Quickly, the events of his life passed by her sleep ridden eyes. She watched as he saved a Zora from the stomach of a beast, as he spoke to Gorons, as he slept for years and pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal. It went by so fast, yet she remembered it all when she jolted awake. Oxygen filled her parched lungs as she lurched forward. Her mind felt as if it was spinning from all of the information she had gathered. It was still dark when she opened her eyes, the morning sun not yet over the horizon. Observing the moonlight filtering through the window of her room, she realized it was moving in an unnatural way. Then, as if out of the moonlight itself, Hylia appeared before her. (f/n) was speechless; she hadn’t expected to see her sister so soon. Kind eyes stared down at her as she sat up further in her bed. 

“I have decided to grant you knowledge of the time that you were asleep, so that you may understand the troubles that Link has endured in ages past.” 

“Thank you,” was all (f/n) could say. Her mind was still reeling. 

A smile of pure gold was her reply as the goddess dispersed into nothing yet again. She had no chance to ask any questions. With a sigh, she fell back into the pillows. She had no idea what to make of the Link that she had seen. She could only guess that he was the Hero that had saved Ruto. 

He had been just as courageous as she remembered; it was no wonder that he held the Triforce. Even as a child, he faced the trials of war head on and with a smile on his face. 

Saddened, she stared out at the waterfalls bathed in moonlight. It was almost cruel that Link had to relive that terror infinitely. She supposed it was the curse of Demise; his final words still echoed in her mind. His hatred was eternal, and, in retaliation, so was Link’s soul. 

Cruel. 

She wondered what it felt like, to have a fate such as the Hero. He had no say in his life; he existed to destroy evil, and for that purpose alone. 

In a way, she felt that pain. She had no memories of her prior life as a goddess. Hylia had regained all of hers when she purified herself as Zelda, but (f/n) supposed that was because she had intended such even before she was reborn as a human. If that was the case, (f/n) must have decided that she wished to live fully as a mortal, so no memories of her past life were needed. It did seem like something she would do; all that she wanted was to be rid of her powers. They came with such a weight that, sometimes, she didn’t think she could bear it, but, with Link in mind, she knew she had to. He had fought for so long. It was the least she could do. 


	5. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we get to know more about the reader and Pipit's relationship! The link to Pipit's first chapter is here https://archiveofourown.org/works/22352071  
I hope you enjoy! :) <3

She awoke the next day to a knock at her door and a Zora informing her that the prince wished to see her after she had breakfast. So, with no reason to remain in bed, she rose and prepared herself for whatever Sidon had in store for her. She made her way to the dining hall to find Bazz, Gaddison, and Rivan within. Smiling, she seated herself beside them and received her breakfast. 

“(f/n)! I’m surprised you didn’t burn up in the volcano!” Rivan laughed.

Gaddison punched his arm, her glare playful. “We both know you would wrinkle up if you set foot up there, Rivan. Maybe I should call you Raisin from now on.”

(f/n) laughed. “He is about the right color.” Rivan turned his glare to her. He was about to retaliate, but Bazz beat him to speaking. 

“If anyone should be called ‘Raisin,’ it’s (f/n). Hylians do wrinkle if they spend too much time in the water, after all.” 

“Hey!” Everyone snickered at the girl, and Bazz sent her a sly grin. As a response to their jabs, she looked at her food and stayed silent. Rivan wasn’t about to take the silent treatment, however. 

“Aww, come on, (f/n)! It’ll just be Bazz’s term of endearment for you!” He grinned over at his friend, relishing in the blush that overtook his cheeks. 

Raising her head, (f/n) grinned at Rivan. “I guess it’s better than you choosing my nickname.”

Holding his hand over his chest in mock offense, Rivan replied, “I’m superior in that department.” Everyone laughed and continued with breakfast, devouring it within the hour. Then, (f/n) bid adieu to her friends, for they had their posts to attend to. 

With a smile, she wandered the halls of the royal palace. She had no idea where Sidon was at the moment, but she supposed he could wait. She wanted to take in the views of the city again after so long. Perhaps he would be outside and she would cross paths with him. So, without another thought, she crossed through the palace doorway and down the steps into the Domain. 

Even after being so familiar with it, the beauty still awed her. If she had no priorities to attend to, she knew for a fact that she would want to reside here. The lake reflecting the clouds above, placing them below the high platforms of the city, made her feel at home, at peace. She wondered if she would ever get used to seeing the sky from below, the clouds broken apart instead of permanently blanketing the realm above. 

Soon, she found herself at the outskirts of the city, staring down at the runoff that she and Sidon had taken a dive from the day she had awoken. A smile broke across her face at the thought of flying through the water; she wished she could do that again, but on her own accord. 

“You may know the basics of swimming, but I don’t believe it’d be wise to take a dive from here.” She turned to find Sidon grinning down at her. It was true; he had taught her how to float and paddle in the small ponds on the outskirts of the city, but she felt fearful of being alone in the deep waters of the lake with only that knowledge. 

“I know. I was just admiring the view from up here.”

Nodding, Sidon knelt down for her to resume her position from years ago. How had it been years already? She couldn’t fathom how quickly the time had passed. So many memories had been made. But, then again, she had slumbered for eons and it felt like no time had passed. 

“Where are we going?” 

“A special spot.” 

Without another word, she climbed onto his back. And, without a second glance back at the Domain, the prince dove from the ledge and into the chilly water below. It was all encompassing, the feeling of the water. Soon, they were at the base of a waterfall, and Sidon effortlessly swam up the falling water. Gravity was nothing for a Zora in their element. 

To (f/n)’s surprise and delight, they climbed many waterfalls. Over and over, Sidon landed his graceful flip into the next pond, catching (f/n) in the process and replacing her hold on his broad shoulders. She was surprised he had never taken her up this way, but she supposed that, at the time, he believed it unsafe for her. Even now, he had a spear at his back, hanging beside the girl. 

Finally, they reached the top of the waterfall stairs, and (f/n) jumped from her friend’s back. He led her up a grassy incline, and, once at the top, she understood why this place was special. 

“Welcome to Ploymus Mountain.”

Paying no mind to his outstretched arms and wide grin, (f/n) stared at the view before her. An expanse of water spread as far as the eye could see. The only experience she had had with an ocean was on Skipper’s ship in the desert. Only a small radius became ocean when she and Link activated the timeshift stones, so she had no idea how absolutely gorgeous the ocean actually was. Suddenly, tears fell from her eyes and her throat locked up. 

“(f/n)? Dear Hylian, are you alright?” Sidon’s face showed his worry. He reached out to place his hand on her shoulder. Thankfully, she nodded her head, but the tears didn’t stop. 

“It’s just so beautiful… I wish he could have seen it.” A sob escaped her mouth at the thought…

_ Roar. _

(f/n)’s tearstained cheeks drained of color as she turned to see a dreaded Lynel wielding a bow staring them down. With sadistic eyes, the creature nocked an arrow. The weapon began to glow with a sickly electric light, and (f/n) pushed Sidon behind the rock beside him. She had read about the Zora’s weakness to electricity; she knew she couldn’t let the prince get hurt. As he stumbled behind the rock, she stole the spear from his back and jumped back out to face the monster threatening them. 

“(f/n)!” His voice was stern, yet a bit of fear was audible. “You cannot face such a beast alone!”

As the Lynel nocked another shock arrow, she shifted her eyes to her friend for a split second. “You can’t risk getting electrocuted, Sidon!” As she thought of a solution to such a problem, she jumped out of the way of the Lynel’s second attack. Electricity buzzed in the air as the arrow whizzed passed her. 

Again, she realized that her power would be useful; she could divert the electricity if need be, so Sidon could run to safety. Then, after distracting the beast, she could follow the prince and they could jump from the waterfall. 

“Sidon, I want you to run back down to the waterfall!” Her grip on the spear tightened as he refused. “Listen to me! Run, please!”

Sighing in exasperation at his uselessness, Sidon reluctantly agreed. Then, he sprinted down the hill that they had climbed not ten minutes before. The Lynel, thankfully, was still focused on the girl, but she was caught off guard when he decided to charge at her instead of raising his bow again. Just in time, she ran to the side, and it turned with a wicked grin. The way she had run was not down the mountain; no, she ran in such a direction that she was now trapped between the summit and the Lynel, with no apparent way out without jumping off a cliff. 

Well, that plan had been good while it lasted. On to the next one.

Sidon, meanwhile, was pacing at the top of the waterfall. He felt more worry the longer he waited, and (f/n) didn’t appear to be following him. Anxiety filled his blood as he moved back up the path to peek across the cliff and see what was happening. 

(f/n) was facing off against the Lynel, for it blocked the only exit. She lunged forward and lodged the spear into the side of the beast, swiftly removing it and backing away. Enraged, the monster roared and sped toward her, and she deflected its attack with the handle of the spear. Another attack was aimed at her, and this one hit. The skin of her shoulder was torn as she cried in pain, but she did not fall. 

At this, Sidon knew he must do something. He would be no help with no weapon and with his weakness to shock arrows, so he dove from the cliff. He sent all of his power into his legs to dive as far as possible, skipping all of the smaller ponds and plunging straight into the main part of Zora Lake. He soared up the run off and into the city, yelling for the Royal Guard to follow him. He grabbed another spear as well as a bow and quiver. 

Atop the mountain, (f/n)’s body was moving on instinct. She had fought many monsters in her life and had received many wounds, but this was the deepest she had ever experienced. The Lynel’s sword was sharper than any weapon she’d seen, so it was no wonder that her arm was in the shape it was in. She was too scared to look at it; she was afraid she’d see bone. Along with the fear came the adrenaline, and she felt like an outsider looking in on the fight. Her head spun a bit due to blood loss, but she dodged and attacked like her life depended on it. 

Honestly, it did. 

Suddenly, she heard a shout from where she had left Sidon. Glancing in that direction, she noticed that he had reinforcements. They wielded bows, arrows nocked and at the ready. (f/n) remembered how skilled the Zora were at archery, and it was the perfect tactic against the Lynel. They could remain behind cover and lower their risk of electrocution. 

In order to allow the Zora Army to spread out and find cover, (f/n) shouted at the Lynel and ran. She needed to be a distraction. Enraged at the turn of events, the beast followed her. His hooves tore through the dirt as he pursued her, and he proved his speed was much greater than hers. She decided she’d need to take a chance to win this fight. 

When she could feel the presence of the Lynel right behind her, she dug her heels into the earth and turned, her spear thrusting toward the unsuspecting monster. The point sunk deep into its chest, a raucous cry echoing from the pits of its throat. In that moment, the Zoras let their arrows fly, piercing the Lynel’s rough skin. The beast knelt in pain. Glaring into its eyes, (f/n) leaned all of her weight into her spear, and it sunk deeper into her foe’s flesh. Then, the fury that was in the Lynel’s eyes flickered out, and it fell to the ground in a pool of blood. 

Knowing that the threat was no more, (f/n) turned to those who helped her take down the beast, but her legs gave out beneath her. The adrenaline left her blood in what felt like an instant, and her muscles replaced it with lactic acid. Everything ached. Her clothes stuck to her, but, at this point, she was unaware if it was because of her earlier swim or her own blood coating her skin. 

Bazz was the first to her limp form. Worry rushed to his heart as he put pressure on her wound. His eyes stared into hers, but he looked so far away. Even his words felt far from her. 

Sidon ran to his friend, kneeling and taking her hand. He began healing what he could of her wounds, though he was not nearly as skilled as his sister in that department. All he could do was stop the bleeding enough for them to carry her back to the Domain and the experienced healers within. 

It took them half an hour to completely heal her wounds. She was still left with a scar on her shoulder, much to her healers’ dismay. She had not woken up in that time, but they assured her friends that it was to be expected. They ushered everyone out to allow her to rest. 

In the hallway outside her room, Sidon was pacing back and forth. He had yet to say a word since he had been ejected from (f/n)’s room, and Bazz was worried for his friend. Finally, he decided he was tired of Sidon wearing a path into the floor. 

“Sidon, what is the matter?”

Slowly, the prince turned to his friend before exclaiming, “ _ What is the matter?!  _ Bazz, are you mad?!”

Shaking his head, the soldier responded, “I believe I should be asking you that.”

Sidon let loose a deep sigh. Turning to the window and grasping at the sill, he closed his eyes. “I have caused all of this, Bazz, and I could not even protect her.” 

Approaching the window and staring out, Bazz leaned on his spear. “We both know that she does not blame you. And you did what you could in the situation.”

“But she was still injured!”

“And she has been healed, Sidon. She will be fine, and you will see that none of this is your fault.” Turning to the shorter Zora, Sidon ruefully nodded. “She was amazing nonetheless. Single-handedly besting a Lynel? It’s unheard of.” Sidon averted his eyes to the window again. 

“To think that I thought  _ I  _ would be the one protecting  _ her.”  _ He laughed, but the sound stopped short when he saw another approaching the two. 

“My Prince, the council has requested your presence in the throne room.” 

Before he followed the new presence, he turned to Bazz. “Watch over her in my absence.” At his request, the soldier readjusted his spear and nodded. With that, the prince disappeared down the hall. 

Bazz remained outside the door, standing stick straight just as he had learned in his training. He waited and waited, staring out the window and wondering what the girl would do once she awoke. He needn’t wait long, however, for a healer passed by him into the room and spoke to her. Even from outside the room, he could hear her groggy voice. He debated whether or not he should enter the room, ultimately deciding on doing so. The healer exited as soon as he stepped within. He was glad to find the girl smiling up at him from within her pillow and sheet cocoon. 

“Hi, Raisin.”

She laughed at the ridiculous nickname. He smiled in return. 

“Hi, Bazz.”

“How are you feeling?” he asked as he approached the bed. 

“Very tired.” She stretched her arms out, glad to find only a bit of soreness in her shoulder and not the agonizing pain she had felt before. “It almost feels like nothing happened.” 

“Well, something certainly did happen. You took down a Lynel on your own.”

Shaking her head and averting her gaze, she whispered, “I couldn’t have done it without you guys.” Sighing, she sunk further into the pillows. Her (h/c) hair was wildly splayed about her head. As she lay there, enjoying the comfortable silence between the two, the door opened. A familiar face peeked inside before the door was shoved open completely. 

“My dear Hylian, I’m so glad you’re awake!” (f/n) smiled at the prince. She wondered if he called every Hylian such, or if it was his nickname for her. “Do you feel alright?” 

“Yes, much better than before, thank you.”

Sidon shook his head. “You should not thank me for anything. I have caused this.”

Now, it was (f/n)’s turn to shake her head. “No, you had no idea the Lynel was there. It would only be your fault if you served me to it on a silver platter.” At her joke, Sidon smiled a bit, but it was still far from his usual grin. (f/n)’s smile fell. Sighing, she softly asked, “Tell me, what are your dreams?”

Sidon and Bazz were taken aback by her seemingly out-of-the-blue question. “What is it you mean?”

“When I was lying there in my own blood, I kept thinking about all of the things I’ve wanted to do but possibly never could. I was just wondering what your dreams are, if they’re similar to mine.”

After a thoughtful second, Bazz answered. “I want to be captain of the Zora Royal Guard.”

(f/n) smiled as Sidon answered next. “I would like to be a perfect king, when the time comes.”

“What else?”

Now, the two Zora fell into a true air of thought. The wheels of their minds turned as they tried to come up with a list of wishes and wants. 

“I would like to travel all of Hyrule someday, even though I can’t particularly do so.”

Sidon agreed with his friend. “Yes, that would be quite the sight. I would also like to try food from all of Hyrule.”

“What about riding a horse? I think that would be quite fun.”

“Yes, and what about flying like a Rito? I would love to swim through the air!”

At this, (f/n) laughed. Sidon looked a bit insulted in return. “No, no, I wasn’t laughing at you. It’s just… I’ve already done that before.” Then, she realized Bazz was in the room. He had no idea she was a goddess. Perhaps she should just tell him; he was a good friend after all. 

Sidon noticed the look on her face, reading it correctly. “Oh, do not worry, (f/n). Bazz knows of your past.” At her now befuddled face, he continued. “My father told Seggin, his father, of your powers due to his being the Captain of the Royal Guard, and there is nothing Seggin does not tell his son.” 

Nodding, Bazz bowed his head in apology. “I am sorry if you did not wish me to have that information. In any case,” he rose his gaze to capture hers, “I think no different of you.” 

“Thank you, Ba-”

“You’re still a Hylian raisin,” he interrupted with a sly grin. 

“Never mind. I retract my thanks.” 

They all laughed. Sidon finally asked his burning question when the gleeful sounds died out. “If I may ask, what are your dreams, (f/n)?”

A far off look appeared in her eyes at the question. “There are so many.” She sighed. “I would like to travel all of Hyrule and try all of the food, just as you two said. I want to ride a horse too. I want to destroy the Calamity and allow Hyrule to be peaceful once more. I want to be able to swim up waterfalls.” The two Zoras grinned at this. “I want to fly again… I want to grow old with someone…” At this thought, her eyes teared up. Sidon reached out and grabbed her hand. 

“If I may ask, are these tears the same as those from earlier?” He remembered that she had cried just before the Lynel attack. She nodded. “Who is it that hurts your heart so much?” 

Off to the side, Bazz decided he did not want to be awkwardly standing feet away from such a serious conversation, so he approached the bed and sat across from Sidon. 

(f/n) decided to stop being a hypocrite. She had always told others it was best to talk about things, not bottle them up, and yet, here she had been, bottling up her emotions for literal ages.

“His name was Pipit.” She inhaled a shaky breath, willing herself to fight back the tears. She had just bested a Lynel, for Hylia’s sake! She had waited long enough to get past this. “I was in love with him. I always had been.” 

As she spoke, her friends realized that her eyes glazed over. It was quite obvious to them that she was heavily affected by this “Pipit.” They dared not interrupt her. 

“I know that you both do not know of my time, but I lived in the sky. This surface world, it was a legend to my people. All that was below our island were clouds. We soared on loftwings to travel from island to island, and only the best of us could become the knights of Skyloft. 

“I was in the knight academy, which is where I met Pipit. He was ahead of me in everything: age, grades, skill. The first time I talked to him was when he became a knight.

“To become a knight, you had to win the Wing Ceremony. Everyone raced on their birds to catch a statue, and the winner was awarded a new uniform and a sailcloth by that year’s impersonator of the Goddess. 

“Pipit won his Wing Ceremony by a landslide, and I was that year’s goddess.” She laughed at the irony of that statement. “I had to make the sailcloth myself, so I stitched it with the color of that year’s tunic: yellow. When I gave it to Pipit, I said that the color was perfect for him. He was always so happy.” She sighed. “Later on, he told me that that sailcloth was his most prized possession.”

As she rambled on, Sidon and Bazz listened intently. They were amazed to learn more of the time when Hylians lived in the sky. They could barely even imagine it. They had no intention of stopping the girl from continuing with her tales, even though they truthfully had places to be. 

“From then on, we were friends. I wouldn’t call us best friends in that time, since I still hung around Keet and Kina more, but we definitely spent a lot of time together. 

“After everything happened on the Surface and I found out I was the Goddess of light, Pipit told me he loved me. We were inseparable after that.” Suddenly, she teared up again, a sob becoming lodged in her throat, but she continued. “Except for one time. One time! He went alone into the forest one time and he-! I couldn’t protect him!” Balling her hands into fists, she allowed the tears to flow freely. “When he died…,” the words felt sour in her mouth, “I couldn’t take it. I closed myself off from everyone, and that’s why I was sealed away for eons.” She glared down at her hands. “I still feel angry about that.”

Softly, Sidon whispered, “Why?”

Her eyes snapped up to him, the tension in her hands never leaving. “I was so selfish. I abandoned the world because I lost the person closest to me. What if I could have prevented the Calamity to begin with? What if I could’ve prevented other things?” 

Bazz shook his head. “Do not worry about things that cannot be changed.”

Looking to his friend, Sidon nodded. “Although it may seem impossible, I understand your pain. When I lost my sister, I shut myself off from anyone and everyone. I blamed myself as well. I wished that it had been me instead. But I realized how ignorant and wrong I was. I know now that Mipha would never have wanted me to blame myself. So, do not blame yourself for things out of your control or things in the past.”

Nodding, (f/n) wiped her tears. She knew that she could never go back, that she could not alter the past. Oh, she knew more than anyone. Time would not allow her to go back for her own selfish reasons. What she needed to do now was what she should’ve done many years ago. She needed to mourn the amazing man that was Pipit and live on for him. 

He never wanted her to be in pain, and she was hurting herself by remembering him in a sad light. He had always been happy when she was happy. 

She wanted him to be happy. 

_ “(f/n), you know you look beautiful when you smile right? Please never stop.” _


End file.
